Centrifugal sand pump



July 23, 1957 c. A. BUTLER CENTRIFUGAL SAND PUMR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJan. 10, 1955 INVENIOR C.A. BUTLER [WWW ATTORNEYS July 23, 1957 c. A.BUTLER CENTRIFUGAL szmn PUMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- Filed Jan. 10, 1955 UMP0w This invention relates to motor driven pumps, and more specificallyto a sand and gravel pump.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to pre vide acentrifugal type sand pump with means for detecting leakage of thepumped material through an inner shell liner, whereby the pump maybeshut down im- 1 mediately to prevent serious damage thereto. 7 Anotherobject of this invention is to provide means for detecting leakage ofthe pumped material through the suction side face plate liner or throughthe shaft side face plate liner.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for effectivelymaintaining the space between the suction and shaft face plates and theimpeller free of sand and gravel during the operation of the pump.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a sand and gravelpump of the type described with a split outer housing and wherein theline ofseparation between the housing sections falls in a plane parallelto the axis of its rotor. l

Other and further objects and advantages ofthe present invention willbecome more evident from a con sideration of the following specificationwhen read in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a centrifugal sand pumpconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

States Patent Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the verticalplane of line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view oftherotor, a portion thereof beingbroken away to illustrate its inner construction.

Figure 4 is a detail cross-sectional view taken on the horizontal planeof line 4-4 of Figure '1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10designates, in general, a centrifugal sand pump constructed inaccordance with the teachings of this invention. The pump 10 is seen tocomprise a pair of outer shell members 12 and 14. The members 12 and 14are provided with a semi-circular side elevational configuration and aresubstantially U-shaped in transverse cross-section. The adjacent ends ofthe shell members 12 and 14 terminate in outwardly directed laterallyextending flanges 16, 18 and 20, 22, respectively,

which are rigidly secured together by a plurality of.

bolts 24 and nuts 26. The shell member 14 is also provided with aninvoluted portion 28 substantially circular in transverse cross-section,and a pair of base supports 30.

An integrally formed shell liner 32 having a substantially circularconfiguration in side elevation and having an involuted portion 34 isdisposed within the shell members 12 and 14 and the involuted portion 28thereof. As is seen in Figure 2, the liner 32 is substantially U-shapedin transverse cross-section and has an outside diameter less than theinside diameter of the shell mem- 2,800,084 Patented July 23, 1957 Alibers 12, 14, and each of the shell members is constructed with a pair ofinwardly projecting semi-circular and laterally extending ribs 12A, 12Band 14A, 14B at the marginal edges adjacent the free ends thereof whichengage tightly against theiopposed sides of the liner 32 and defines aclosed substantially U-shaped chamber 36 thereabout. As is seen inFigure 2, the annular arms 32A, 323 project inwardly beyond the terminalends of the ribs 14A and 14B.

A liner plate 38, substantially circular. in configuration, closes thesuction side of the pump liner 32 and is integrally formed with anoutwardly extending laterally projecting, and substantially hollow hubportion 38A. The plate 38 is constructed with a circumferential andlateral extension 383 which seats against and seals the confrontingsides of the ribs 12A and 14A. A rubber O ring seal 40 is positioned atthe juncture of the plate 38 with the arm 32A and ribs 12A, 14A.

A substantially circular face plate 42 having a laterally depressedportion 42A and a laterally extending hollow circular boss 42B whichterminates in inwardly and outwardly extending radial flanges 42C and42D, respectively, is secured adjacent its circumferential marginal edgeto the shell ribs 12A and 14A by a plurality of bolts 44 and nuts 46. Asis seen inFigure 2, the depressed portion 42A is juxtaposed but spacedfrom the plate 38 and that the radial flange 42C serves as a spacer tohold the boss 42B from the hub 38A. The spacing between these elementsforms a pair of horizontally and vertically extending connected chambers48 and 50, respectively. p

A collar 52 having radial flanges 52A and 52B at. its ends is telescopedover the outer end of the boss 38A.

Bolts 54 and nuts 56 connect the flange 42D with the opening 12C,positioned adjacent the upper end' thereof,

in which is threaded one end of a short length of an externally threadedpipe 62. The other end of the pipe is provided with a fitting 64 inwhich is connected a pressure gauge 66. A conduit 68 connects with oneside of a manually operated valve 70 having its other side connected bypipe 72 with one end of a connector 74. The other end of the connector74 is attached to one end of a flexible conduit 76 which has its otherend aflixed to one end of a second connector 78. A pipe 80 connects theother end of the connector 78 with one end of a fitting 82, and theother end thereof is connected to one end of an externally threaded pipe83 having its other end threaded into an internally threaded opening 42Eformed in the face plate 42 adjacent the lower end thereof.

The shaft side of the pump liners 12, 14 is provided with a circularliner plate 84 having a hub 84A projecting laterally from a side thereofand a laterally extended circumferential flange 84B. The plate 84 seatswithin the annular arm 32B and the flange 84B thereof seats against theI relative to the liner plate 84, and the hub B is concentricallypositioned with respect to the hub 84A thereby less than the diameter ofthe liner plates 42, and 8 4. "The impeller 96'is provided 'withacentrallypositi'oned lateral ly extending annular flange 98,:toIWhich isbolted at' 190 a radial flange 102A integrally formed at one end of anelongated substantially cylindrical shaft102. The shaft 102. rotates inthe hub 84A of the liner plate 84 and projectsfoutwardly from the pump10 through the hub 90B'and' is rotatably journalled in'a pair of spacedbearings 104, 106 of conventional design. The bearings are fixedlysecured to base elements 1081and'110.

A plurality. of sealing members 112 are mounted on the the shaft'102 andengage 'at'their circumferences the inner circumference of the hub 9013.The radial flange 90C confronts a radial flange 114A of a closure member114, the closure member 114 extending into the hub 90B andcompressingthe sealing members 112 between it and the outer end of thehub 84A. The flanges90C and 114A are connected by means of the bolts 116and 'nu'ts 118.

The shaft side of the shellmember 12 is provided with an internallythreaded opening 120 which is adapted to receive one end of a threadedpipe 122, the other end of the latter being connected to one end of afitting 124'. The other end of the fitting is connected with one side ofa manually operated valve 126 by conventional means and the other sideof the valve is connected to one end of a flexible tubular member 128.The other end of the member 128 is connected with oneend of a fitting130, the other end of which receives one end of an externally threadedpipe 132, and the other end of the latter is threadedly secured withinan opening. 134 which communicates with the chamber 92.

The involuted portions 28 and 34 of the pump 10 are maintained in spacedrelationship as illustrated in Figure 4, and the involuted portion 34extends beyond the extremity of the involuted portion 28. The latterterminates in a radial flange 28A which confronts a radial flange 136Aof a collar 136 that surrounds the terminal,

end portion of the involuted member 34. The two flanges 28A and 136A aresecured as by the bolts 138 and nuts 140. The other endof the collar 136is provided with a radial flange 13613 which confronts a radial flange142A at one end of a discharge conduit 142. The flanges 136B and 142Aaresecured together by bolts 144 and'nuts146. Interposed between theflanges 28A and 136Aand the involute 34 is an type sealing element 148.

As is seen in Figure 4 of the drawingsythe collar 136 isprovided with aninternally threaded opening 136C which is adapted to receive one end ofan externally threaded pipe 150 having its other end connected withoneside of a manually operated valve 152. The other side of the valve 152is connected by conventional means to a connector 154, the latter havingconnection with one end of a conduit 156. The other end of the conduit156 connects to one side of a T-connector 158 (see Figure 1) through theconnector 160 and pipe 162. A second side of the T-connector 158receives one end of an externally threaded pipe 164, the other end ofwhich is secured in a internally threaded opening 28B which extendsthrough the involute 28. The third side of the T-connector 158 isconnected with a source of water under pressure through the conduit 166.

The impeller 96 is driven through a pulley 168 keyed at 170 to the shaft102 intermediate the bearings 104 and 106. The pulley is connectedthrough endless V-belts 172 with a driving motor.

The liner plates 42 and 84 are each provided with an opening 38C and84C, respectively, which communicate on the one hand, between thechamber 50 and the interior of the 'pump '10, and on the other handbetween the '4 chamber 92 andthe interior of the pump 10. The functionsof these openings will be described in detail below.

' Referring now to Figure 3 of'the drawings, the-impeller 96 is seen tocomprise a pair of spaced circular discs 96A, 96B between which extendspiral impeller blades 96C. As is seen in this figure, the exteriorsides of the discs 96A, 96B are provided with a plurality of spiral ribs96D and 96E.

In sand and other similar typesof pumps heretofore known in the artnomeans have been provided for determining precisely which of the pumpliner elements had ruptured, given away, or had worn out. The presentinvention provides such means.

For example, and under actual running operation, water under pressure issupplied from the conduit 166 and passes through the T-connector 158 andinto the space between the involuted portions 28 and 34, and then entersand fills the space 36 between the liner member 32 and the shell members12 and 14, As this space or chamber is filling, water pas sfthrough thevalves 70, the conduits 76 and 1 28, completely fills the chambers 48,50, and92, 94."

As the chambers 50 and 92 fill, water will pass through the openings 38Cand 84C and enters a chamber 174 formed between the flange 102A andthehub portion 84A of the liner 84;. "From the chamber 174 the water isforced upwardly under pressure between the spiral ribs 96D and theadjacent sides of the liner plates 38 and 90.

Assuming that the pump 10 has been primed and is in operation, the gaugewill read, in the actual operation of the pump, twenty-five poundsvacuum pressure. The gauge 66will stand at fifteen pounds pressure, andthe gauge 176' connectedin the discharge conduit 142 will stand atfortypounds.

Now'let it bealso assumed that after prolonged operation of the pump afissure'occurs in the shell liner 32. Water and sand under pressure willthen enter the space 36 and cause the gauge 66'to show an increasethereof which will approximate the reading on the gauge 176. Todetermine'acc'urately that the rupture occurred in the liner 32, theoperator will 'close first one or the other'of themanually controlledvalves 78 or 126, and if no variation in pressure is noted on the gauge66 the operator knows immediately'that thebreak has occurred in theliner 32. If, however, upon closing the valve and leaving the valve 126in its open position a decrease in pressure is recorded by the gauge66', the operator instantly knows that the plate 38 is defective. If, onthe other hand, thevalve 70 is in its open position and after closingvalve 126 a pressure drop is recorded on -the gauge "66, the operator isinformed that the fault is in the ner Pla e 84- The provision of suchtesting means enables the operator to determine with precision the exactextent of the repairs which must be made to the pump without making anextensive, time consuming, dismantling thereof in order to determinewhich "of'the three elements has been ama ed:

'Theopenings 38C and 84C provide means whereby water'iscirculatedbetween the spiral ribs 96Dand maintains thespace between thesides of the impeller and the adjacenfsides of the liner plates 42 and84 free and clear' ofall sand and other debris.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention indetail, it will be understood that the same is. ofle'rejd'rnerely by wayof example, and that the'inventior'iisfto be limited'onlyby'the scope ofthe following claims. i

What is claimed is:

1. A centrifugal pump comprising a pump casing having a vacuum intake"and a high pressure discharge, an impeller rotatably journaled in saidcasing, liners on each side o f said irnpellerdefining a first andsecond separated chamberbetween the iin'pellerand casing, a peripheralliner. between the impeller periphery and easing defining a thirdchamber between said peripheral liner and easing, means connected tosaid pump for pressurizing all of said chambers at a pressure lower thanpump discharge pressure, a detecting means in communication with each ofsaid chambers, means connected to the discharge of said pump forindicating pump discharge pressure, each of said first and secondchambers having restricted communication with said impeller chamber,means carried by said impeller for inducing a reduction in pressure insaid first and second chambers, and means in fluid communication withsaid detecting means for selectively placing said detecting means incommunication exclusively with a desired chamber to test for a break ina liner wall.

2. A centrifugal pump comprising a pump casing having an intake and adischarge port, an impeller rotatably mounted in said casing, sideliners in said casing to each side of said impeller defining a first anda second chamber between said impeller and easing on each side of saidimpeller, means on said impeller for inducing a reduc tion of pressurein said first and second chambers, a peripheral liner in said casingdefining therewith a peripheral chamber separate from said sidechambers, means connected to said pump for pressurizing said chambers,said side liners having a restricted opening into the impeller chamberat a low pressure area, pressure change sensing means in communicationwith each of said chambers, pressure change sensing means incommunication with the discharge of said pump, and means in fluidcircuit with said sensing means for selectively placing said sensingmeans in circuit with any one chamber to the exclusion of the others todetect a break in any of said liners and through said selective means todetermine exactly which liner has broken by a change in said pressurechange sensing means.

3. A centrifugal pump as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means forpressurizing said chambers is a source of water under pressure whichfills the chambers and passes through the openings through said sideliners to force a cleansing stream between the liner walls and theimpeller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,591,939 Humphrey July 6, 1926 1,665,651 Youngblood Apr. 10, 19281,958,108 Milkowski May 8, 1934 2,382,839 Wuensch Aug. 14, 19452,690,131 Butler Sept. 28, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 372,059 Great BritainMay 5, 1932

